Adapter and its use

ABSTRACT

An adapter connecting between a rigid container with one drain opening and a liquid demanding device, comprises one attachment port for sealing connection to the container&#39;s drain opening and a valve connecting to the flow-passage between the attachment port and connection means for the liquid demanding device, for equalizing pressure inside the container. Characterizing means are: attachment means ( 2 ) to keep a container sealingly attached in the drain opening; connection means ( 7 ) having externally a prismatic or cylindrical form ( 10 ) fitting in a corresponding deep hole in the device, wherein a sealing to the prism or cylinder&#39;s surface between the interior of the deep hole and the surroundings is established; and a take-out valve ( 11 ) in the flow direction in the connection port ( 8 ), being opened by means in the device ( 9 ) after sealing to the prism or cylinder ( 10 ) has been established. Easy connection to various containers and no spillage when not in use are the main benefits.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an adapter and the use of same.

PRIOR ART

From WO98/20832 an adapter is known with respectively attachment andconnection means to establish both physical fit and flow connectionbetween:

-   -   a container with one drain opening, otherwise closed—and being        substantially rigid and    -   an at least occasionally liquid demanding device, respectively.

The attachment means comprise one attachment port for connection to thedrain opening of at least one detachable, and possibly replaceable,container, with sealing properties compared to the surroundings, and avalve being placed in fluid connection with the flow passage between theattachment port and the connection means for the liquid demanding devicefor automatically equalizing pressure inside the container compared tothe surrounding pressure substantially simultaneously with the devices'draining of liquid from an attached container of the type mentioned. InWO98/20832 the at least occasionally liquid demanding device is forexample constituted of a sucking baby as the container is a feedingbottle.

The adapter according to WO98/20832 has the severe disadvantage thatliquid draining through the connection means is not unambiguouscontrolled, when the adapter has been removed from the liquid demandingdevice, with the consequence, that liquid easily will be spilled.Furthermore the mounting of the container on the attachment means ismuch elaborated because of the special shape of the attachment meansexternal to the drain opening of the container.

The purpose of the present invention is to improve the known andmentioned adapter and to remedy the above drawbacks.

The above purpose is fulfilled with the adapter according to presentinvention comprising the features as specified in claim 1. By utilizingthe characterising means and features of the adapter according to theinvention, the adapter can be kept sealed, thus avoiding any waste ofliquid escaping from the container, while there is no sealingestablished to the connection port. This because the means in thedevices for opening the take-out valve can only be effective, while thatsealing is established. Further the attaching means according to theinvention remarkably simplifies the mounting or replacement of aliquid-containing or empty container on the adapter of the invention,now being established via a sealing friction fit in the drain opening.

Preferably the sealing attack of the attachment means in the outlet ofthe container is resulting in a mutual cohesive force, which isdistinctively superior to the force produced by the sealing orpositioning to the prism or cylinder, regardless of actual size of thecontainer, and actual quantity and type of liquid present inside thecontainer, resulting in, that said adapter correctly mounted accordingto a directions, will stay connected to the container in the case of theadapter's removal from the device by force influenced on the container.

Thus the risk that a force contribution from even a high level of acolumn of heavy liquid can press the adapter out of the outlet area ofthe container in the moment of the most critical force relatedsituation, where the adapter is getting removed from the device, interalia overcoming the sealing forces at the connection port, is avoided;the size of the container will often promote the container body and notthe adapter body being influenced by the external force for the removalof the adapter plus container from the device; the attachment means areable to provide a heavy sealing grip between the container and theadapter. Thereby it is avoided that the adapter remains connected to thedevice, while the container is being removed from the adapter withprobably waste of liquid as a consequence.

Preferably the attachment means having contact with the drain openingwall consists of an elastomer. The attachment means can hereby easiertake up irregularities and dimension tolerances in the outlet area ofthe container and secure a safer sealing; at the same time there will beno requirement for a sealing elasticity of the container's materialround the outlet area.

Preferably the attachment means for contact in the outlet area can beshaped as an overall truncated cone pointing in the liquid upstreamdirection. The same adapter can by this means be used in differentcontainers' outlet area with differing internal diameters according to adimensional interval defined by the size of the truncated cone.

Preferably the overall truncated cone detailed can have a towards thetapered end constantly stepped form substantially shaped as successivelyalternating adjacently placed circumferential ribs and grooves withconstantly decreasing respective characterizing diameter to the taperedend. Thus a better defined force or sealing against the actualcontainer's outlet area is achieved, as a rib with smaller diameterfurther inside the outlet area can execute the sealing function againstthe outlet area internal wall and other ribs of larger diameter canprovide a heavy force contributing to the cohesiveness of the containerand the adapter, even if the larger diameter material is stressed beyondits sealing limit and/or is only partly being in touch with the edge ofthe outlet area.

Preferably the flow conduit of the pressure equalizing valve can join tothe flow passage immediately upstream of the take-out valve. Thus anadapter having an extreme short distance between the device and thecontainer can be provided, so that a more stable stack can be achieved,when the container is only supported on the adapter placed in the deephole of the device. Moreover a smaller overall dimension of thecontainer and adapter combination can be realized, being beneficial e.g.during storing in confined volumes like refrigerators.

Preferably the valve part of the pressure equalizing valve is biased inthe cut-off position by a flexible, preferably elastic, biasing force sosmall, that the pressure equalizing valve can open for pressurecompensation with the fluid level being on level with the free surfaceof the attachment means in the outlet.

Thus all liquid in the container can be drained by the device and beutilized.

Preferably the means of the device for opening of the take-out valve canbe controllable. Consequently liquid can be taken out of the device asneeded, as the take-out flow area through the take-out valve possiblyoccasionally can be blocked or regulated, while the adapter is connectedto the device.

Preferably the elastomer of the attachment means can be shaped as asleeve, which is mounted on a supporting, preferably tubular, structureof the adapter body, yielding an increased sealing force ability,because the backing tubular structure inside can brace the elasticsleeve.

Preferably the body of the adapter is shaped by moulding, preferably byinjection moulding, leaving possibility to produce the adapter body in arational and cheap way, e. g. from a plastic.

Preferably the adapter's flow passage from the container to the devicecan be substantially linear, yielding possibility for optimal flow.

Preferably the attachment means can be designed for attacking theactually utilized container exclusively in the outlet, yielding totalindependence of the remaining structure of the actual container to theattachment means.

Preferably the liquid contained and used can be drinking water,preferably mineral drinking water, leaving possibility to use theadapter according to the present invention in relation to preparation offood or drinks.

Preferably the container can be a bottle, preferably of transparentplastic material, preferably approved for use with human food. Thus e.g.easy-to-get returnable and/or recyclable bottles of standard orproprietary design from the consumer market, containing e.g. mineraldrinking water can be used with the adapter of the invention.

Preferable the device used can be a domestic appliance such as anespresso machine. Utilizing this option in connection with relevantabove mentioned features or options, e.g. a gourmet can prepare forhimself a superb coffee drink from a selected mineral drinking waterstored when not in use in the original bottle being constantly sealedwith the adapter according to the present invention and being meanwhilestored in a refrigerator.

Illustrative—in no way limiting—examples of preferred embodiments of theadapter according to the present invention are now being discussed infurther detail, referring to the accompanying drawing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 a shows a preferred embodiment of an adapter 1 according to theinvention as seen in a frontal elevation, the attachment means 2pointing upwards,

FIG. 1 b shows the adapter from FIG. 1 a sectioned in its central planparallel to drawing plane,

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the inventions' adapter of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 shows an adapter according to the present invention used with abottle and a partly shown espresso machine, and

FIG. 4 shows a lying bottle fitted with an adapter according to theinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference is now made to the FIGS. 1 a-4, wherein same reference numbersare used in all the figures for same or similar items.

FIG. 1 a shows a frontal elevation of a preferred embodiment of anadapter 1 according to the invention, the attachment means 2 pointingupwards. The attachment means 2 are configured as an attachment port 3for a sealing, forced attack in the drain opening 5 outlet area of acontainer 4, e.g. a bottle (see FIG. 4: 4, 5, and 6). The lower part ofthe adapter 1 consists of connecting means 7 configured as a connectionport 8, whose external part being prismatic or cylindrical for atelescoping fit in a corresponding deep hole of suitable profile depthin a receiving device 9 to yield a seal around the circumference of theprism or cylinder (FIG. 1 b: 10) at telescoping placement of theconnection port 8 in the deep hole at least some distance beforereaching the bottom.

FIG. 1 b shows the adapter 1 from FIG. 1 a sectioned in its centralplane parallel to the drawing plane. The spring biased take-out valve11, inside the connection port 8 is shown in the closed, uninfluencedcondition.

The device 9 has as mentioned means for opening the take-out valve 11,when there is a need for intake of liquid into the device 9.

These opening means of the device 9 do not automatically have toactivate the take-out valve 11 during the final part of the relative,telescopic movement of the prism or cylinder 10 and the deep hole afterthe sealing around the take-out port 8 has been established. Thereby,the take-out valve 11 is constantly kept open for constant outlet ofliquid from the container 4 to the device 9, while an adapter and bottlecombination is positioned on the device 9, as the means of the device 9for opening the take-out valve 11 can be controllable. Consequentlyliquid can be taken out by the device 9 as needed, as the take-out flowarea through the take-out valve 11, possibly occasionally, can beblocked or regulated, while the adapter 1 is connected to the device.

The valve part 17 of the pressure equalizing valve 16 is biased in thecut-off position by a flexible, preferably elastic, biasing force sosmall, that the pressure equalizing valve 16 can open for pressurecompensation with the fluid level being on level with the free surfaceof the attachment means 2 in the outlet. Thus all liquid in thecontainer 4 can be drained by the device and be utilized, as thepressure equalizing valve 16 now let in a compensating air volume fromthe surroundings to the container 4 over the remaining level of liquid,even with the lowest level of liquid, with the consequence that thecontainer 4 efficiently can be emptied of liquid.

As seen from FIG. 1 b the flow conduit of the pressure equalizing valve16 can connect to the flow passage immediately upstream of the take-outvalve 11. Thus an adapter 1 having an extremely short distance betweenthe device 9 and the container 4 can be provided, so that a more stablestack can be achieved, when the container 4 is only supported on theadapter 1 placed in the deep hole of the device. Moreover, a smalleroverall dimension of the container and adapter combination can berealized, being beneficial e.g. during storing in confined volumes likerefrigerators or the like when not in use; i.e. you can advantageouslystore and cool (down) the bottle 4 and the adapter 1 as a unit and lateron quickly mount the unit (bottle 4 inclusive liquid and adapter 1) ontothe device 9. Therefore it is not necessary to remove the bottle 4 fromthe adapter 1, before all the contained liquid has been drained.

It is within the scope of the present invention that a system can beestablished comprising one or more devices functioning correlated to oneor more containers mounted with “its own”, freely alternating, and/or inrelation to one or more devices and/or containers and/or liquidsdedicated, adapters, being an advantage, as for example user can protectagainst unwanted use of the liquid content of specific container(s) ofin a given device. As an example, in a household a first container 4contains e.g. soup, which just has to be heated in a first type ofdevice before consumption, and consequently, connection port 8 ofadapter in this container could, for example, have a rounded pentagonalprofile and fit in the correspondingly outlined deep hole in therelevant device 9, while an adapter 1 to a second container 4 withspecial brewing water for tea can have another profile of the connectionport 8 fitting into a dedicated tea brewing device's deep hole.

FIG. 2 shows that the elastomer 12 of the attachment means 2 can beshaped as a sleeve 18, which is mounted on a supporting, preferablytubular, structure 19 of the adapter body 20, yielding an increasedsealing force ability, because the backing tubular structure 19 insidecan brace the elastic sleeve 18.

As seen, the adapter 1 does not have to be constructed of the samematerial all over; thus leaving the possibility for quality optimisationby choice of the best suited materials for each given function segmentof the assembled adapter 1.

FIG. 2 also shows—without neither reference numbers, nor furtherexplanation—usual components of known types of pressurised valves, whichin this non-limiting example are used as the pressure equalizing valve16 and the take-out valve 11, respectively.

FIG. 3 discloses partly an example of a device 9 configured as anespresso machine. The adapter 1 is here shown mounted in a container 4,which is exemplified as a plastic bottle in a usual size for mineraldrinking water for example for 1, 1½, or 2 litres. Other container 4types and sizes can of course be used inside the scope of the claimedprotection.

The bottle 4 with the adapter 1 connected is as a unit placed in thedevice's 9 deep hole, which can not be seen on FIG. 3, as the deep holehas included the adapter's connection port 8 prism or cylinder body 10,thus also being invisible.

Earlier, the connection port 8 was guided all down into the device'sdeep hole, and being there, established a seal encircling the prism orcylinder surface by means in the device 9. Thus liquid from thecontainer 4 will be able to stream through the adapter 1 and furtherinto the device 9 for utilization there, without liquids leakage orspill from the couplings: container

adapter and adapter

device.

The attachment means 2 with contact against the outlet area 5 canpreferably consist of elastic material (FIG. 4: 12), e.g. rubber orplastic with corresponding elastic and sealing characteristics,that—just like all other liquid swept items in the container 4, theadapter 1 and the device 9—advantageously can be approved for use withfood, so that migrated substances from these items will not in anycrucial way effect any health related influence on the drink ability ofthe liquid taken out from the container 4.

Thus, with the attachment means 2 consisting of elastic material 12,form irregularities and dimension tolerances in the outlet area of thecontainer 4 are easier taken up, to secure a safer sealing; at the sametime there will be no requirement for a sealing elasticity of thecontainer's material round the outlet area which thus can be stiff andhard.

Particularly, with the use of an elastomer 12 the sealing attack of theattachment means 2 in the outlet of the container 4 can effect in amutual cohesive force, which is distinctively superior to the forceeffected by the sealing or positioning to the prism or cylinder 10,regardless of actual size of the container 4, and actual quantity andtype of liquid present inside the container 4, resulting in, that saidadapter 1—correctly mounted according to the directions—will stayconnected to the container 4 in the case of the adapter's 1 removal fromthe device 9 by a force influenced on the container 4. Thus the risk,that a force contribution from even a high level of a column of heavyliquid can press the adapter 1 out of the outlet area of the container 4at the moment of the force related most critical situation, where theadapter 1 being removed from the device 9, inter alia overcoming thesealing forces at the connection port 8, is avoided; the size of thecontainer 4 will often promote the container body and not the adapterbody 20 being influenced by the external force for the removal of theadapter 1 plus container 4 from the device 9. The attachment means 2 areable to provide a heavy sealing grip between the container 4 and theadapter 1. Thereby, it is avoided that the adapter 1 remains connectedto the device 9 during the removal of the container 4 from the adapter1, what would have caused waste of liquid as a consequence.

Such obvious pattern of handling is clearly deductive from FIG. 3, asthe container 4 is the most obvious item to grip, in order to lift thecontainer 4 and the adapter 1 from the device 9.

The attachment means 2 for contact in the outlet area can be shaped asan overall truncated cone 13 pointing in the liquid upstream direction.The same adapter 1 can by this means be used in different containers'outlet area 6 with differing internal diameters, according to adimensional interval defined by the size of the truncated cone 13. So,different kinds of bottles can be used, regardless the type and thedimensions of a possible external screw thread, as the adapter's attacktakes place inside the drain opening formed by the actual bottle neck,and regardless already known or predictable diameter variations of theoutlet area. Such variations are presented by e.g. easy-to-get,recyclable bottles of standard or proprietary design from the consumermarket, such plastic bottles having substantially comparable content ofe.g. mineral drinking water. One producer's bottle design, despite samecontained volume of liquid, is often deviating a little from otherproducers' bottle design as to a connection thread for a screw cap andto the dimensions of the drain opening 5.

The overall truncated cone 13 can in detail be of a shape taperedtowards the end in constantly stepped form, substantially shaped assuccessively alternating adjacently placed circumferential ribs 14 andgrooves 15 with respective characterizing diameter constantly decreasingto the tapered end (FIG. 1 a). By this, a better defined force orsealing against the actual container's outlet area 6 is achieved, as arib 14 with smaller diameter further inside the outlet area 6 can effectthe sealing function against the outlet area 6 internal wall and otherribs 14 of larger diameter can provide a heavy force contributing to thecohesiveness of the container 4 and the adapter 1, even if the largerdiameter material is stressed beyond its sealing limit and/or is onlypartly being in touch with the edge of the outlet area 6.

Containers, used several times, possibly during cycles in a recyclingsystem, often have minor damages on the outlet's extreme area from blowsor intruded objects, why it is an advantage establishing the sealingfurther inside the outlet area, where both the probability foroccurrences of and the extent of damages are smaller. The force yieldinggrip between adapter 1 and container 4 can be established closer to theoutlet area and is not so sensitive to locally lacking sealing; alsogreater variations or failures in cross section, e.g. egg shape comparedto circular form, can be absorbed.

FIG. 4 shows seen in a frontal elevation, an example of a preferredembodiment of the invention's adapter 1 fitted into a container 4, witha sleeve of elastic material 12 connected to the bottle 4 in the drainopening 5. As the adapter 1 has been twisted or driven into the drainopening's outlet area 6 with force, the adapter 1 squeezes outwards frominside and seals the drain opening 5, so that liquid in the lying, morethan half filled container 4 does not run out through the connectionbetween adapter 1 and bottle 4. The automatic closing and locking andpressure equalizing valve 16 and the take-out valve 11, respectively,guarantees a sealing of the adapter's 1 other two openings towards thesurroundings in the shown situation. Such position can also illustrate apartly filled bottle lying between consecutive situations of use ofsmaller amounts of the contained liquid in a device 9, according to theinvention.

The above description of selected, illustrative, preferred embodimentsof the adapter 1 and the use hereof according to the present inventionmust not be regarded as a limitation of the scope of the invention.Without deviating from the idea of the invention, the skilled person canof course carry out many different variations and modifications of thepresent invention, for example by other combinations of details ofembodiments mentioned here, without going beyond the scope of theprotection emanating from the following claims.

1. An adapter comprising attachment and connection means to establishboth physical fit and flow connection between: a container with onedrain opening, otherwise closed—and being substantially rigid, an atleast occasionally liquid demanding device, where the attachment meanshave one attachment port for sealing connection to the drain opening ofat least one such detachable and possibly replaceable container withproperties to the surroundings, and a valve being placed in fluidconnection with the flow-passage between the attachment port and theconnection means for the liquid demanding device for automaticallypressure equalizing the inside container in relation to the surroundingpressure substantially simultaneously with the devices' draining ofliquid from a such attached container, respectively, characterized in,the attachment means (2) at the attachment port (3) being configured tokeep a presently utilized container (4) by means of a sealing attack inthe drain opening (5) outlet area (6), the connection means (7) beingshaped as a connection port (8) having externally a substantiallyprismatic or cylindrical (10) form, which fits in a corresponding shapeddeep hole in the device (9), wherein after a certain—substantiallytranslatoric—mutual telescoping of the prism or cylinder (10) and thedeep hole, a sealing to the prism or cylinder's surface between theinterior of the deep hole and the surroundings is established by sealingmeans, a spring biased take-out valve (11) being provided in the flowdirection in the connection port (8) of the adapter (1), being opened bymeans in the device (9) after the sealing to the prism or cylinder (10)has been established; and that, conversely, the take-out valve (11)being closed during and at least briefly after invalidation of thesealing to the prism or cylinder (10) between the surroundings and thedeep hole at mutual separation of the adapter (1) and the device (9). 2.An adapter according to claim 1, characterized in, the sealing attack ofthe attachment means in the outlet (6) of the container (4) resulting ina mutual cohesive force, which is distinctively superior to the forceproduced by the sealing or positioning to the prism or cylinder (10),regardless of actual size of the container, and actual quantity and typeof liquid present inside the container, resulting in, that said adapter(1) correctly mounted according to a directions, will stay connected tothe container (4) in the case of the adapter's removal from the device(9) by force influenced on the container (4).
 3. An adapter accordingclaim 1 or 2, characterized in, the attachment means (2) having contactwith the drain opening (5) wall consists of an elastomer (12).
 4. Anadapter according to any one or more of the previous claims,characterized in, that the attachment means (2) for contact in theoutlet area (6) are shaped as an overall truncated cone (13) pointing inthe liquid upstream direction.
 5. An adapter according to claim 4,characterized in, the overall truncated cone (13) detailed having atowards the tapered end constantly stepped form substantially shaped assuccessively alternating adjacently placed circumferential ribs (14) andgrooves (15) with constantly decreasing respective characterizingdiameter to the tapered end.
 6. An adapter according to any one or moreof the previous claims, characterized in, the flow conduit of thepressure equalizing valve (16) joining to the flow passage immediatelyupstream of the take-out valve (11).
 7. An adapter according to any oneor more of the previous claims, characterized in, the valve part (17) ofthe pressure equalizing valve (16) being biased in the cut-off positionby a flexible, preferably elastic, biasing force so small, that thepressure equalizing valve can open for pressure compensation with thefluid level being on level with the free surface of the attachment meansin the outlet (6).
 8. An adapter according to any one or more of theprevious claims, characterized in, the means of the device (9) foropening of the take-out valve (11) is being controllable.
 9. An adapteraccording to any one or more of the previous claims—at least claim 3,characterized in, the elastomer (12) of the attachment means beingshaped as a sleeve (18), which is mounted on a supporting, preferablytubular, structure (19) of the adapter body (20).
 10. An adapteraccording to any one or more of the previous claims, characterized in,the body (20) of the adapter (1) is shaped by moulding, preferably byinjection moulding.
 11. An adapter according to any one or more of theprevious claims, characterized in, the adapter's (1) flow passage fromthe container (4) to the device (9) being substantially linear.
 12. Anadapter according to any one or more of the previous claims,characterized in, the attachment means (2) being designed for attack ofthe actually utilized container (4) exclusively in the outlet (6). 13.Use of an adapter according to any one or more of the previous claims,characterized in, the liquid being drinkable water, preferably mineraldrinking water.
 14. Use of an adapter according to anyone or more of theprevious claims, characterized in, the container (4) being a bottle,preferably of transparent plastic material, preferably approved for usewith human food.
 15. Use of an adapter according to any one or more ofthe previous claims, characterized in, the device (9) being an espressomachine, preferably designed as a domestic appliance.